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Christ Our Rock Lutheran

Church

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran

Synod

May 30-31 ,2020

Festival of Pentecost

Jeff Limpert,Pastor

Welcome dear friend in Jesus,

Today we recall the Feast of Pentecost, fifty days after our Lord’s resurrection. In God’s wisdom, this is one of the feasts all were required to attend in Jerusalem. In this way God provided for the largest gathering from the farthest reaches where His people

lived in order to discover what Pentecost was really all about. Today with the lavish outpouring of God Himself, the Holy Spirit, “the Lord and giver of life,” would proclaim the glory of salvation and eternal life through Jesus, the Son of God.

So today we hear the Word of God spoken to us in our own language, that powerful, mighty Word through which the Holy Spirit creates and strengthens the gift of saving faith in us. This faith is like living water flowing through our entire being bringing the refreshment of the forgiveness of all of our sins and a new and godly purpose for the living of our days. The water Jesus gives is the true water of life.

In our Lord’s service,Pastor Jeff Limpert

Our Guests: If you are visiting us, we extend a special welcome to you. Please introduce yourself to our pastor. If you have any questions or need assistance, please speak with one of our ushers in the entryway. Our bathrooms are located down the left hallway as you exit the church. If you have no church of your own, we invite you to make this your church home. But above all, we invite you to worship with us again. Once again, welcome!

Service ThoughtThe Holy Spirit is a Precious Gift for All Believers

“Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal,

the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.”

~Ephesians 1:13,14 ~

~ ORDER OF SERVICE ~WELCOME

INVOCATION and CALL TO WORSHIP (from a 7th-century Latin prayer)

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.People: Amen.

Pastor: Come, Holy Spirit; send from highest heaven the radiance of Your light. People: Come, Father of the poor; come, Giver of all gifts; come, Light of

every heart.

Pastor: Of comforters the best, dear Guest of every soul, refreshment ever sweet.People: In our labors rest, coolness in our heat, comfort in our grief.

Pastor: O most blessed Light, fill the inmost hearts of Your faithful ones.People: Without Your holy presence, all is dark, nothing free from sin.

Pastor: What is soiled, cleanse; what is dry, refresh; what is wounded, heal.People: What is rigid, bend; what is frozen, warm; guide what goes astray.

Pastor: Give Your faithful ones who in You confide sevenfold hallowing.People: Give goodness its reward; give journey safe through death; give joy

that has no end. Amen.

CONFESSION and ABSOLUTIONPastor: When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said, "What

shall we do?"

People: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus

Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2:36-38

Pastor: Let us make confession of our sin in humble repentance.

(Silence for meditation and self-examination)

Pastor: Most merciful God,All: we confess that without You, we are in the darkness of sin. Cleanse us

from the filth of our sin. Refresh us from the dryness and lifelessness of our spirits. Thaw our frozen hearts, unable to love. Bend our inflexible will and foolish pride to Your will. Guide us who are so apt to stray from Your commands. Fill us, Holy Spirit. Forgive us, Lord Jesus. Gift us, heavenly Father.

Pastor: The promise is for you and your children, for all whom the Lord will call, and the promise is full and free forgiveness of all of your sins, given for the sake of Jesus Christ. Receive the promised forgiveness with joy. To those who believe in Jesus Christ, God gives the power to become children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.

People: Thanks be to God. Come, Holy Spirit.

"Raise the Spirit" [Sung to the tune of “Angels from the Realms of Glory”] Text: Jaroslav Vajda, (c) 1983 Concordia Publishing House. Used with permission.

PRAYER OF THE DAYPastor: O God, send us the Holy Spirit, who cuts us to the heart with the Word of

God, who opens our hearts to hear the language of Your love, and who enters our hearts that out of them may flow streams of living water; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

+ The Word of Our Lord +Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine. " Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen

carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

" `In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

HYMN OF THE DAY: #184 “O Holy Spirit, Enter In”

1. O Holy Spirit, enter in And in our hearts Your work begin, Your dwelling place now make us. Sun of the soul, O Light divine, Around and in us brightly shine, To joy and gladness wake us That we May be Truly living, To You giving Prayer unceasing And in love be still increasing.

2. Give to Your Word impressive pow’r That in our hearts from this good hour As fire it may be glowing, That in true Christian unity We faithful witnesses may be, Your glory ever showing. Hear us, Cheer us By Your teaching; Let our preaching And our labor Praise You, Lord, and serve our neighbor.

3. O mighty Rock, O Source of life, Let Your dear Word, in doubt and strife, In us be strongly burning That we be faithful unto death And live in love and holy faith, From You true wisdom learning.

Your grace And peace On us shower; By Your power Christ confessing, Let us see our Savior’s blessing.

SERMON: John 7:37-39 “Do You Thirst For Life?”On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and called out,

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! As the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from deep within the person who believes in me.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were going to receive. For the Holy Spirit had not yet come, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

CONFESSION OF FAITHPastor: As we celebrate the Lord pouring out the Holy Spirit on the Day of

Pentecost, we join in confessing the words of the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed, as well as its explanation from Luther’s Small Catechism.

All: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Pastor: What does this mean?All: I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in

Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCHPastor: Lord God, heavenly Father, we offer before You our common

supplications for the well-being of Your Church throughout the world. So guide and govern it by Your Holy Spirit, that all who profess themselves Christians be led into the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.

Send down upon all ministers of the Gospel and upon the congregations committed to their care the healthful spirit of Your grace,

that they please You in all things. Behold in mercy all who are in authority over us. Supply them with Your blessing, that they be inclined to Your will and walk according to Your Commandments.

We humbly ask Your abiding presence in every situation that You would make known Your ways among us. Preserve those who travel, satisfy the wants of Your creatures, and help those who call upon You in any need, that they have patience in the midst of suffering and, according to Your will, be released from their afflictions.

Intercessory Prayers

Merciful Father, Your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, rose victorious over death and the grave. We remember with thanksgiving all Your servants who trusted in Christ and now stand in Your nearer presence, where all sorrows are turned to joy. Strengthen us in the confident hope of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come, that we await with joy our reunion in Your heavenly kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy,

People: hear our prayer. Amen. THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil; For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

CLOSING PRAYERPastor: Almighty God, giver of all good gifts, bestow upon us and upon all Your

Church Your Spirit and the gifts that come from Him. Help us keep with pure hearts what You have made known to us and help us live with purity the lives to which we were called in the waters of Baptism; through Jesus

Christ, our Lord, Who lives and reigns, one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever.

People: Amen

BENEDICTIONPastor: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and kindle in them the fire

of Your love.People: Alleluia!

Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.

People: Amen! Amen! Amen!

CLOSING HYMN: “Holy Spirit” Keith and Krysten Getty

Silent Prayer

This Week’s Bible Readings May 31. Acts 7:1-43 4. Acts 9:1-19a

June 1. Acts 7:44-8:4 5. Acts 9:19b-31

2. Acts 8:5 25 6. Acts 9:32-42 3. Acts 8:26-40 7. Acts 9:43-10:33

Christ Our Rock Announcements

REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERSDeb Olson and Vivian Capek who will both be having surgery this coming week.

DOOR OFFERINGWe will collect a door offering today and next weekend for Jacob Limpert, in recognition

of his graduation last week from our pastor training school, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. He received a call to serve as an associate pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School in Wonewoc, Wisconsin. Please keep Jacob and his soon to be wife Jessica Heise in your prayers as they begin serving at their new ministry calling sometime in mid-July. They will be joined in marriage next Saturday, June 6th in Green Bay!

BAPTISM“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done,

but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” - Titus 3:5-7

On May 17th Sophia Nicole Allen, daughter of Jeremy and Erin Allen, was welcomed into God’s kingdom through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. May God continue to bless Sophia as she grows both physically and spiritually in our midst.

THANK YOUWe would like to give a great big thank you to Judy Limpert and Gretchen Schroeder,

who collaboratively put together the Worship Videos that we used online during the Stay at Home order these past several weeks. We especially thank Gretchen, who volunteered her time to help us out with her skills in video production. THANK YOU!

2020 SPORTS CAMPThe Spiritual Growth Committee has decided to cancel this year’s Rock Solid Sports

Camp. We look forward to starting it back up again next summer.

We wish a Happy Birthday and God’s continued blessings to the following members celebrating birthdays this month:

Julie O’Marro June 1 Ken Leslie June 2 Logan Klavetter June 5Marla Brandmeyer June 10 Don Erickson June 10Vanessa Klavetter June 11Kasey O’Marro June 16 Hannah Limpert June 17 Deb Koss June 23Rolf Schroeder June 25Anna Henselin June 27Renae Buck June 30

Did we miss your birthday? We encourage all of our members to let us know their birthday, so that we can share in each other’s celebration. To let us know, contact the church office at 252-5088 or [email protected]

Christ Our Rock Lutheran Church

& Precious Pebbles Preschool3040 Stonehedge Dr. NE; Rochester, MN 55906

Office: 252-5088 [email protected] www.ChristOurRock.org Jeff Limpert, Pastor……………………………………………….273-5525 Judy Limpert, Church Administrator & Preschool Director…….. 273-5535 Heather Luepke, Preschool Teacher……………………………....250-3900 Anne Sawyer, Resurrection Lutheran School Teacher……………993-6025 Lonnie Schnell, Congregational Chairman……………………….951-5694

Our Mission: God first loved us by giving us the gift of eternal life through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, with God’s help and to His glory, we will grow in His Word so that we can share the gift of His love with all people.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE! SERVING OUR LORD & US TODAY

Midi Organist: Judy LimpertUshers: Team 2 Mowing: June 1-6 Erickson

SERVING OUR LORD & US ON SUNDAY, JUNE 7TH Midi Organist: Jane PetersonUshers: Team 3 Mowing: June 8-13 Phil Schroeder

Permission for use of music & lyrics in this service are covered under the following licenses:OneLicense.net #A-704183 All rights reserved.

CCLI, Portland, OR. Reprinted under license #2033969. All rights reserved.Northwestern PH, Milwaukee, WI. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish © 2019 Concordia PH. All rights reserved. Used by permission.Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011

by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwideThe Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) copyright © 2017 The Wartburg Project.

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